Railway truck



Jan. 6, 1959 E. H. BLATTNER RAILWAY TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 25, 1953 INVENTOR ilflfllaiilaer ATTORNEY Jan. 6, 1959 E. H.BLATTNER RAILWAY TRUCK s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 23. 1953 WM, Qr L III w 4 a n a INVENTOR- I I Im'l/Xfllalbwr ATTORNEY Jan. 6, 1959 E. H. BLATTNER RAILWAY TRUCK Filed Nov. 23, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY RAILWAY TRUCK Emil H. Blattner, Williamsville, N. Y., assignor to The Symington-Gould Corporation, Depew, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application November 23, 1953, Serial No. 393,782

6 Claims. (Cl. 105-403) This invention relates to railway trucks and more particularly to trucks of the type in which the side frames are resiliently supported on the journal boxes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved connection between the bolster and side frames of a railway truck of the type described, whereby the bolster is enabled to rock laterally relative to the side frames to accommodate their so-called hobby-horse action.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved connection between a bolster and side frame of a truck of the type described in which the bolster, while enabled to rock laterally relative to the side frame, is effectively centered and held against longitudinal movement relative thereto.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved side frame and bolster connection in a truck of the type described wherein the parts by which the bolster is'enabled to rock laterally, while centered and held against longitudinal movement relative to the side frame, are formed as integral parts of the bolster and side frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved bolster and side frame connection in a truck of the type described, wherein the bolster is directly connected to either side frame in such manner that the height of the bolster relative to the side frame may be adjusted without detriment to the action obtained by the connection.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a railway truck of the type described, with the journal boxes removed and showing a preferred embodiment of the improved bolster and side frame connection of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the side frame and bolster of Figure 1, partly taken on the section 22 of that figure.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the lines 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is fragmentary vertical sectional view corresponding to Figure 4, with a shim shown interposed between the bolster and side frame to adjust the height of the bolster; and

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 66 of Figure 5.

Referring now is detail to the drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts, the railway truck to which the present invention pertains is of the type in which the supporting springs are interposed between the side frames and separate journal boxes, rather than between the side frames and bolster, as in the more conven- I 2,857,177 Patented Jan. 6, 19 59 ice tional truck. Connected by a bolster 1 extending transversely of the truck, the side frames are identical and but one need be shown, the illustrated side frame being designated as 2. Forming no part of this invention, it is suflicient to refer to Barrows Patent No. 2,590,360 dated March 25, 1952, as exemplary of the resilient mounting of journal boxes (not shown) between the jaws 3 of the illustrated side frame.

The illustrated side frame 2 is comprised of a tension member 4 and a compression member 5, connected intermediate their ends by vertically disposed or directed guide columns 6, the latter with the preferably flat or planar upper-surfaced upper web 7 of the tension member and the inturned horizontal flanges 8 of the compression member, defining a. window opening 9. With in this window opening fits the end portion or end 10 of the bolster 1, the bolster being limited in its projection into the window opening by wing flanges 11 adapted to engage the inboard walls 12 of the guide columns 6. Within the window opening the bolster seats or rides directly on the upper web 7 of thetension member 4 or on one or more shims 13 which may be interposed between the bolster and side frame for adjustment of the vertical height of the bolster, when necessary to correct coupling height or for other reasons.

In service, the side frames of a railway truck have a longitudinal rocking or so-called hobby-horse action due to unevenness of the track, yieldability of the road bed, crossovers and like causes, which result in a momentary relative change in the vertical heights of the front and rear wheels (not shown). This action, if transmitted to the bolster would detrimentally affect the connection between the bolster and the car body (not shown), and it is the elimination of the transmission of this action to the bolster that the improved connection of the present invention has as its main purpose. Relative rocking between bolster and side frame being a necessary incident to such a connection, the required rocking engagement is here provided by a convexly arcuate surface 14, formed on the underside 15 of the end portion 10 of the bolster 1 and extending longitudinally thereof, the surface preferably being cylindrical and having as its center an axis normal to the vertical plane of the side frame and substantially at its center of rocking movement. So that the bolster will be free to rock on its arcuate surface, the walls 16, forming the lateral vertical sides of its end portion 10, are correspondingly spaced inwardly of the confronting transverse faces 17 of the guide columns 6.

Were the connection limited to the described rocking surface engagement and spacing, the bolster would slide or shift laterally within the window opening 9, causing one or the other of its side walls 16 to be jammed against the adjacent of the guide columns 6 and effectively preventing rocking in that direction. Such undesired lateral shifting is prevented in the instant connection by the provision on the end portion 10 of the bolster of a pair of vertically directed t0ngues-or detents 18 depending or downstanding from and pro jecting below the arcuate surface 14 and overlapping and straddling the side of the tension member 4. Each of these tongues rides or slides in a vertically directed slot, groove or guideway 19, one on each of the inboard and outboard sides of the tension member 4, and each bisecting or centered laterally relative to the window opening 9. Each of the slots is preferably formed or defined by confronting edges 20 of a pair of upturned lips or flanges 21, the several lips upstanding from and bounding the transverse or lateral limits of the upper Web 7 of the tension member 4, which forms the bottom or base of the window opening 9. Were the slots 19 and tongues 18 both parallel-sided, a spacing between theirsides would be required to be commensurate with that between the bolster 1 and guide dummies. To hold the lateral spacing between the tongue and slots to a .and atthe same time permit the desired rocking action,'the sides of one or the other'of'these ,mating elements are ,rnadecurv edbr arcuate: Withtthe ;tongu es of the illustratediernbodiment substantially rectangular in side elevation, the requisite ,arcuateness' ,is applied to the slots, Jthe 'vrticallyfdirect ed"inner oreonfrenting edges20 of each ofitheupturned' lips 21', for [this purpose being arcuately convex so as .t'oafiord a rocking enrolling aetion with .the lateral parallel sides 22 f the l g l .l

h e upstanding inboard and outboard lips 21, with .the .upper web 7 of 'the tension member :4, form an npwardly opening basket, seatfor pocket 23. Tqenable the bolster ena portion 10 .to ,be received in this pocket and bear, ,threugh arcuate surface 14, against the web -f7,"the bottom wall 24 of the bol'ster between or intermediate the'tongues ls is bulged downwardlyto' form a depending protuberance, bulge or convex portion 25. Projecting sufi'iciently to encompass the h ight of the lips f21fand substantially coextensive laterallyof' the side name with the pocket, the downwardlybulged portion 25 seats or ,fits. within v the pocket 23, 'withtiie arcuate surface'14 on its undersurface 15 adaptedto en age the base 7 of the pocket. The tongues 18, in turn, are of sufiicient length to seatin the associated slots Hover a considerable range of relative vertical movement between bolster andside frame so as to enable the height ,of the bolster,' and thus the coupling height of the associated car to be adjusted, as necessary, by use of the shims 13, previously described. Not onlydo the tongues serve toflcenter the bolster within'the window opening 9, but by'virtue of their overlap and straddling of the sides of the tension member 4, they also serve to limit the motion of the bolster laterally of the side"frarne, aided in this action by the lips 21 with their overlap of;the protuberance 25. 7'

Since the arc of relative rocking movement between bolster and side frame in the hobby-horse actiori'of thelatter is relatively small, as indicated by the lateral clearance between the bolster and the guide columns 6, the arcuate surface' 14 need only cover the central portlon, laterally of the bolster, of the underside 15 of the protuberance 25. This surface, preferably, is coextensive in length, longitudinally of the bolster, with the protuberance so as to provide maximum line contact in the illustrated normalposition of the bolster, as well as throughout its range of. rocking movement relative to r the side frame. As previously mentioned, engagement of the s1de walls 16 of the bolster with the adjacent guide columns 6 limit the extent of rocking motion 'of I the bolster relative to the side frame. As serving no purpose other than for strength, the'undersurface 1 of the protuberance25 outwardly of theiarcuate surfac'e 14 is relatively raised. It will also be noted that the 'protuberance 25 is inset laterally relative to the sid walls 16. of the bolster, thereabove, this insetting being pro- Added to clear positioningribs 26 which connect the web 7 andthe guide columns6 at thelo'wer corners of the Window opening 9 and serve to position the shims 13. i

Constructed asabovede scribed, the improved bolster ,and'. side frame connection of.the present invention permits relative rockinglaterally of thebolster between the connected members to accommodate the hobby-horse .action of the sideframes, ,and, due to its limiting'surfac es and meme tpf. theline contactit provides hetweenrthe bolster and side n me, L resists relative movement of the .sideframe and .bolstenin any other direction,thus,holding the truck ins quare. Additionally, it marswh u'enan e a quick and simple matter, this requiringonly thatthe bolster bejacked up sufficiently to clear the tongues 18 of the top web :7 ,of the tension member .4, ,when the side flame a b p1 edcfith bg ste i d Qe p t lit 4 capabilities, it will be apparent that the improved connection is simple and rugged in construction.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. In a railway truck having a side frame, a window opening therein and a bolster in said opening, the combination of an arcuate surface on an underside of said bolster and engageable with a bottom of said window opening for rocking of said bolsterlatcrally relative to said side frame,

tongue means depending from said bolster, and slot means on said side frame, said tongue means rockably engaging and limited'in lateral movement by said slot means for centering said bolster laterally in said window'o'pening while permitting s aid relative rocking between said bolster and side frame.

2. In a railway truck having a side frame with a window opening, the combination of a bolster member in said opening and supported on a tension member of said side framegat leastone of said members having an arcuate surface engaging said othermemberfgr relative rogelin'g of said bolster member ,andside frame .a b outi an axisitransverse to said side tonguemeansdependingfrom said bolster member, and slot means integraliwithisaidside frame, said tongue means being rockablyfen'g'ageablewith and limited in lateral movement by said slotineans for centering said bolster member laterally relative to said window opening while permitting said relative racking between said bolster member and side frame.

Ina railway truck having afside frame with a dow opening and a bolster in'said'opening the com tion ofa flat surfacedefining a bottom ofsaid openi .an arcuatelyconvex surface on and extending ,len nally of said bolster within saidbpening a direc bly engaging said .flat surface,.tonguemeaiision' said bolster andprojecting below said arcuate surface, and slot means H .on said side frame receiving and havingrockingeng'agement with said tongue means, said tongue and slotjneans centering said bolster laterally in said window ope while permitting relative rockingbetween said boleter and side frame through said convex and fiat surfaces.

4. In a railway truck having a side frame, a window opening th ereinand abolsterii n said opening, the eo mbi- .nation of an upwardly opening basket seatatthe b'ottqm of said window opening, a depending protuberance on said bolster and seated within said seat, a convexly arenate surface on and extending longitudinallvof an underside of said protuberance and having rocking engagement with a bottom wall of said seat, spaced tongues depending from said bolster, said tongues projecting below said protuberance and overlapping and straddling a tension member of said side frame, slots in the inboard and outboard sides of said seat and slidably receiving said tongues, and convexly arcuate surfaces on tongue-confrontingsides of said slots, said'to'ngu'es and slots centering saidbols ter laterally in said window opening and through said' last named arcuate surfaces permitting said bolster to reek relative .to said side frame on said first named arcuate surface.

5. In a railway truck having a side frame, a window openingtherein and a bolster seated in said opening, the combination ofa convexly arcuatesurface on an funderside and extending longitudinally of said bolster within said openingg said arcuate surface beingengageable with a surface on said side 'frarne' definingthe bottom .of said window opening for relative rocking of said b'olster and side frame about an axis disposed transversely .of said side frame, depending tongue means on said bolster, fs'aid tongue means projecting belowsaid' arcu'ate snrface and overlapping a .tension memberof said anaemia and slot means on said side frame and slidably rece v ng said tongue means, one of said meansbeing arcu'ately .co ly surfaced for rocking engagement with said'o'ther and said tongue means being centered. by said s lot' rne'ans and thereby centering said bolster laterallylin 'saidf w'indow opening while permitting said relative rocking Ibetwee a dlwl t a i f am 6. In a railway truck having a side frame, a window opening therein and a bolster in said opening, the combination of an arcuately convex surface on an underside of said bolster and confronting and rockably engageable with a wall defining a bottom of said opening, shim means insertible between said arcuate surface and side frame for adjusting the height of said bolster, a pair of longitudinally spaced depending tongues on said bolster, said tongues projecting below said arcuate surface and overlapping and straddling a tension member of saidvside frame, guideways at opposite sides of said tension member and each slidably receiving one of said tongues, and convex arcuate surfaces on said guideways confronting References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 987,685 Buhoup "Mar. 28, 1911 1,141,436 Turner June 1, 1915 1,314,183 Bubenheim Aug. 26, 1919 1,910,992 Hedgcock May 23, 1933 

